1510 collects nomination forms for AL’s reserved seats

Dhaka, Jan 18 (UNB) – A total of 1510 female MP aspirants have collected nomination forms from the Awami League for its 43 reserved seats for women in the 11th parliament.

The party’s Office Abdus Sobhan Golap on Friday said the aspirants who collected nomination forms will be able to submit those till Sunday.

Earlier on January 15, Awami League started selling nomination forms from the party president’s Dhanmondi political office in the city.

Women leaders of the party, artists, actress, social workers and third gender collected nomination papers for the reserve seats.

The party fixed Tk 30,000 as the price of every nomination paper.

Earlier Monday (January 14), the Election Commission Secretary announced that the commission is likely to announce the election schedule on February 17 for 50 parliamentary seats exclusively reserved for women.

The reserved seats’ distribution will reflect the seat share in the directly elected 300 constituencies. According to the proportional representation in the Parliament, Awami League will get women MPs from 43 reserved seats, Jatiya Party from 4 seats, BNP from one, and others will fill out the last two.

Out of the 300 parliamentary constituencies across the country, Awami League won in 257 constituencies, while Jatiya Party in 22 seats, BNP in six seats, Workers’ Party in three constituencies, Gano Forum, Jasod and Bikalpadhara each in two seats, Tarikat Federation and JP each in one seat in the recent 11th general election.

Besides, independent candidates were elected in three constituencies in the polls held on December 30 last.

One remaining constituency will go to polls on January 27, after the voting there was postponed earlier following the death of a candidate.

The Election Commission has a legal obligation to arrange the polls to the 50 reserved seats within 90 days after the gazette of general election result is published.

The directly-elected members of parliament are the voters of the election.
If the number of nominated candidates by a political party is equal to its reserved seats, the contenders will be declared elected unopposed immediate after the last date for withdrawal of candidacy.